The voice was a bit hoarse and rough, sounding like an old man.
Everyone stopped and turned around to see another person coming down from the boat. He wasn't tall, but he moved nimbly. His pant legs were tied at the knees, like an old man who often worked on boats.
The young people from before all followed behind the old man, their attitudes respectful.
The old man walked ashore and said to Bai Youwei with a smile, "Little girl, don't be afraid! Our island is very safe. There are no toys and no man-eating fog. You will be very safe there. You don't have to worry about food or shelter. Except for the lack of network signal, life is basically the same as before."
Bai Youwei continued to act, her small face apprehensive as she asked, "But… will anyone bully my brother and me on the island?"
She seemed truly afraid, her pitiful appearance endearing. One of her hands tightly clutched Shen Mo's clothes.
Shen Mo could feel her small hand touching his waist through his thin T-shirt…
He warned her with his eyes: Behave yourself.
But she was immersed in her act and didn't look at him at all.
The old man smiled and waved his hand. "No one will bully you."
The strong man behind him also explained, "Don't underestimate us just because we are a civilian organization. As long as you work hard and perform well, you will have the opportunity to go to the official safety base! So you can rest assured about the safety of the island. No one will deliberately make trouble for you."
Shen Mo calmly pressed down on the mischievous hand and asked, "What kind of safety base? Can you tell me more?"
"It's built by the Suzhou Rescue Agency. It's on Xishan Island. It's bigger than Sanshan Island and has more supplies. However, because nearby rescue teams like to send people there, there are now restrictions on the number of people they can take in."
Shen Mo: "Is there any way to contact the people there?"
The strong man: "You can submit your information tomorrow. If you're lucky, you might be selected. You'll naturally be able to go to the base then."
Shen Mo asked again, "Who do we submit the information to?"
"To Uncle Zhao." The strong man pointed to the old man beside him.
Everyone understood then. This old man, called Uncle Zhao, was the only one who could contact the official organization. No wonder these young people were so respectful to him.
Shen Mo wasn't very interested in the civilian rescue organization, but the officially established safety base aroused his interest.
If there were really official personnel there, maybe he could use this to contact the local department of the General Security Bureau.
He still couldn't believe that a complete, well-functioning, and orderly large organization would become so vulnerable after the toy invasion.
The four of them discussed it for a while and decided to board the ship.
They left the SUV at the service area and boarded the ship with their luggage and some food. On the boat, they learned more about the island from the strong man.
For example, everyone on the island had their own jobs. Some were responsible for fishing, some were responsible for chopping wood, and some were responsible for cooking. Even the elderly, women, and children could get jobs suitable for them.
In short, there would be gains with contributions.
If someone was lazy, hindered others' work, or bullied the weak, they would be immediately expelled from the island once discovered.
Therefore, the atmosphere on the island was very good. Everyone was united, friendly, and helped each other. It was truly a breath of fresh air in the apocalyptic world.
Of course, this was all told by the people on the boat. What the truth was, Shen Mo and the others would only know after they got to the island…
…
The lake was vast and tranquil. Under the night sky, mountains surrounded them, majestic and magnificent. One couldn't help but wonder what a beautiful scene it would be during the day.
In the distance, they saw a few lights in the darkness.
As the boat got closer, the lights gradually became denser and connected into a single expanse. Although it wasn't as grand as "thousands of lights," it wasn't far off either.
Especially against the backdrop of the surrounding desolation, these lights couldn't help but give people a sense of returning home.